This invention relates to carton structures which are especially adapted for packaging products of a flowable character and is more particularly concerned with improvements in cartons which enable the product to be conveniently dispensed through a relatively small recloseable opening in the wall.
Numerous arrangements have been proposed heretofore for packaging products of a flowable nature which it is desirable to be able to dispense in a convenient manner when the product is needed. For example, some food products such as sugar, salt certain cereals and the like, may be marketed in cartons having a dispensing arrangement. A well-known arrangement comprises a bent metal spout forming member mounted in an aperture in the container wall so as to substantially cover the aperture in a closed position and to hinge to an open position enabling the product to be dispensed through the resulting wall opening. The metal spout member and the labor involved in mounting it in the opening increases substantially the cost of the packaging operation and limits the field of use of such packages. When a sealed opening is required the application of an overlying sealing patch further increases the cost of the packaging operation and discourages the use of this arrangement for packaging a number of products which would be more conveniently handled if marketed in this type package. Also some objections have been raised to the use of the metal spout member which are based on safety hazards and ecology. Some efforts have been made to eliminate the metal spout in paperboard cartons of this type by employing a paperboard insert arranged to be moved to the spout forming position in a dispensing aperture in the carton wall. One such dispensing spout arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,171 granted Nov. 2, 1976, to E. L. Arneson. This type arrangement, while producing a satisfactory pouring spout, requires a greater amount of the carton material and more machine operations for fabrication of the carton which results in a higher cost than desired.
A general object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide a carton having an improved pouring spout arrangement which can be produced in a more economical manner than similar arrangements heretofore employed, which is easy to operate and which involves minimum risk of injury to the user.
A more specific object of the invention is to provide a carton formed of foldable paperboard, or similar sheet or web material, with a dispensing arrangement of the pouring spout type which can be readily incorporated in the carton with minimum increase in the amount of material and in the machine operations required to produce the cartons.
A still more specific object of the invention is to provide a dispensing arrangement for incorporation in a carton formed of paperboard or similar foldable sheet material wherein the pouring spout member is taken from an integral portion of a single blank which is cut and scored so as to enable fabrication of the carton in collapsed condition.
Another object of the invention is to provide a carton of paperboard, or similar foldable sheet material, with a dispensing opening which is initially closed by a pouring spout forming member cut at least in part in an extension of a panel which serves to connect the carton wall panels and which is arranged on an inner wall portion and connected to a hinged flap cut in the outer wall panel which flap is adapted to be hinged outwardly so as to manually draw portions of the spout member into the opening and form therein a pour spout for convenience in dispensing the carton contents through the opening.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved dispensing opening for a carton formed of paperboard, of similar material, wherein the all area for the opening is initially covered by a spout forming member disposed on the inner face of the wall and having a portion adapted to be drawn through a slit in the wall which defines one edge of the opening and which enables the wall area to be freed and hinged so as to form the opening and to enable portions of the inner member to be drawn into the opening and to form therein a pouring spout.
To this end the invention, as claimed herein is embodied in a carton of paperboard or similar foldable sheet material which is adapted to be fabricated in collapsed tubular form and which is provided on the inner face of a wall thereof with a spout forming member derived from an extended portion of a wall connecting member and including a portion thereof arranged so as to be pulled through a slot in the wall which slot defines one edge of a dispensing opening resulting when a tear tab in the wall is pulled outwardly and an area to which the spout member is secured is thereby freed for hinging movement about an edge of the opening so as to pull the spout member into the opening and form therein a pour spout for convenience in dispensing the carton contents through the opening.
The aforesaid and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent when reference is made to the accompanying detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention which are set forth therein by way of example and shown in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout: